Daily News Summary

An electronic digest of media coverage of interest to members of The Florida Bar compiled each workday by the Public Information and Bar Services Department. Electronic links are only active in today's edition. For information on previous articles, please contact the publishing newspaper directly.

SCOTT NAMES COUNSEL TO HEAD JOBLESS AGENCY; PALM BEACH STATE ATTORNEY WILL REPLACE HIM-- The Miami Herald, http://www.miamiherald.com, Dec. 7, 2012. The article is by The Associated Press. Gov. Rick Scott turned to his top lawyer to take over the state’s jobs agency after the executive director abruptly resigned amid questions about jobless benefits he received before he was hired. Scott on Thursday [Dec. 6] named Jesse Panuccio, the governor’s general counsel, to replace Hunting Deutsch, who quit earlier this week after about eight months on the job. Panuccio becomes the third person to take over the Department of Economic Opportunity. Scott, just back from a trade mission to Colombia, also appointed outgoing State Attorney Peter Antonacci of West Palm Beach to replace Panuccio as his general counsel. Antonacci is a former statewide prosecutor and deputy attorney general. He also represented former governors in impeachment trials against local election supervisors.

--Judiciary--

PANEL SAYS FLORIDA JUDGE TOO ILL TO STAY ON BENCH-- The Palm Beach Post, http://www.palmbeachpost.com, Dec. 7, 2012. The article is by The Associated Press. A state court investigative panel says 20th Circuit Judge Joseph Simpson is too ill to remain on the bench. The Judicial Qualifications Commission panel on Thursday [Dec. 6] asked the Florida Supreme Court to order Simpson's involuntary retirement. Simpson, of Fort Myers, also signed a stipulation waiving his right to a probable cause hearing and agreeing that the allegations in a notice of formal charges are accurate. That notice and the panel's findings say Simpson is suffering from Parkinson's disease. It quotes two doctors who concluded he cannot perform his job duties, is at risk of falling and unable to communicate. [See the JQC documents]

--Civil Justice Issues--

ROTHSTEIN TRUSTEE TRIES TO PUT THE BRAKES ON MORE CLAIMS-- South Florida Business Journal, http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida, Dec. 7, 2012.Victims of Scott Rothstein's Ponzi scheme who already received money by settling lawsuits shouldn't be allowed to pursue additional claims, Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler bankruptcy trustee Herbert Stettin said in a recent court filing. Specifically, Stettin's attorneys zeroed in on Miami businessman Ira Sochet, who was among the biggest losers in Rothstein $1.4 billion fraud. Sochet already received a "substantial" payout from a lawsuit settlement with one of Rothstein's banks, TD Bank, and more from a settlement with Rothstein's accounting firm, Berenfeld Spritzer Shechter & Sheer, which dissolved in 2010. [Subscription required.]

--Criminal Justice Issues--

BROWARD BROTHERS FACE TERRORISM CHARGES, BOND HEARING IN FEDERAL COURT-- The Miami Herald, http://www.miamiherald.com, Dec. 7, 2012.Two brothers accused of a plotting a terrorist attack will have a detention hearing and arraignment Friday in Fort Lauderdale federal court. The Oakland Park pair face charges accusing them of conspiring to deploy explosive weapons against an American target. The brothers, 20-year-old Raees Alam Qazi and 30-year-old Sheheryar Alam Qazi, have each been charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction and one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. The brothers were arrested last week by the FBI and remain in custody at the Broward County Jail. Prosecutors said the Qazi brothers were born in Pakistan, but are both naturalized U.S. citizens.